"I always wanted to play abroad. I wouldn't sit here and say Turkey was the first place that I had in mind, that just fell into place when it did, so I thought. 'why not?' There were good things about it, and things I struggled with because of what I'm used to. I was at Arsenal and Liverpool for so many years, and I've got a much bigger appreciation for England and the Premier League, how things are run and how business is done"
"I wouldn't sit here and say Turkey was the first place that I had in mind, that just fell into place when it did, so I thought. 'why not?' There were good things about it, and things I struggled with because of what I'm used to. I was at Arsenal and Liverpool for so many years, and I've got a much bigger appreciation for England and the Premier League, how things are run and how business is done just how the setup is very professional."
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Besiktas in summer 2023 and spent two seasons before his contract was terminated in August 2025. He worked under eight different managers, including Senol Gunes, Burak Yilmaz, Fernando Santos and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He scored important goals in Istanbul derbies and encountered a much more intense, in-your-face fan culture. He contrasted the Turkish club ownership and frequent managerial changes with the professional, stable setup he experienced in England at Arsenal and Liverpool. The volatility of management at Besiktas proved a significant adjustment, and the experience broadened his perspective on football culture and his own career priorities.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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